Partners
Colette Lavanceau, CPA
Co-Founder, Partner
Maryland CPA License Number: 13557
Contact:
CLavanceau@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 112
About:
Colette graduated from Towson State University and became a certified public accountant in 1987. In 1993, she started her own practice and, in 1997, co-founded the firm with Ronald Butler.
In her over 30 years of practice, Colette has served clients in many industries, including contractors, physician practices, commercial real estate, retailers, and Montessori schools, to name a few. She enjoys working with small businesses from inception through their growth cycle. Her personal expertise encompasses providing financial statement review and compilation services as well as tax planning and tax preparation services to businesses. In addition, she provides individual tax return planning and preparation. Colette is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants, the Maryland Society of Accountants, and the National Society of Tax Professionals.
Evan Sober, CPA
Partner – Butler, Lavanceau & Sober, LLC
Maryland CPA License Number: 22924
Contact:
ESober@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 116
About:
Evan grew up a native Baltimorean; he graduated from Randallstown High School in 1990 and received his accounting degree from Towson State University in 1994. After passing the CPA exam in 1994 (on his first attempt), Evan started his accounting career as a staff accountant at a small local CPA firm. Having worked there for almost 8 years, Evan was promoted to tax manager, vice-president and eventually became a partner in 2001. Evan joined Butler, Lavanceau & Sober, LLC in October of 2002 and became a partner in October of 2003. Evan was married in November of 2009 and currently lives in Howard County.
Evan has extensive experience helping individuals and small businesses with a wide array of tax and financial planning issues. He has served clients in many industries, including: real estate, medical services, legal services and contracting.
Evan is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants and the Maryland Society of Accountants.
Accounting Staff
Susan Craig, CPA
Sr Staff Accountant
Contact:
SCraig@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 114
About:
Susan Craig is a University of Maryland alumnae and native of Baltimore. She passed the CPA exam in 2002 and has worked for a variety of CPA firms. Susan also worked for 8 years for a boutique law firm specializing in wealth management, trusts, and estates.
Some of her clients have been entrepreneurs, artists, sports figures, and military personnel with tax homes in the United States and abroad. Other clients have been trusts, estates, non-profit and not-for-profit organizations.
Susan has returned recently to the Columbia area with her husband and two dogs. Her daughter is attending the University of Delaware. She volunteers for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the American Red Cross.
Lynn Lutz
Sr Staff Accountant
Maryland CPA License Number: 22924
Contact:
LLutz@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 111
About:
Lynn started her accounting career in 1990 as an entry level bookkeeper. She has worked as a supervisor in accounts receivable and accounts payable departments. In 2002, she decided to work for a public accounting firm where she could expand her role to tax preparation.
In 2008, Lynn joined Butler, Lavanceau & Sober, LLC, where she handles the payroll functions, bookkeeping, and tax preparation for multiple clients.
Lynn has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Accounting. She currently attends Strayer University where she is seeking to earn her Master’s Degree in Accounting.
Lynn is a member of the Maryland Society of Accountants.
On the personal side, Lynn resides on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Centreville. She enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, family and friends.
Jennifer Ramsey, CPA
Sr Staff Accountant
Contact:
JRamsey@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 118
About:
Jennifer graduated from the University of Alabama in 1990 with a B.S. in Accounting and a Masters of Tax Accounting. Following graduation, she joined the Birmingham, Alabama, office of EY and later transferred to the Baltimore office when her husband was stationed at Ft. Meade. She obtained her CPA license in 1991.
While raising children and moving many times with the U.S. Army for her husband’s job, she took a break from public accounting but continued working with a few private tax clients and doing VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) for military families while stationed overseas.
She also teaches Accounting Principles for Howard Community College as an adjunct professor, volunteers as an ESL instructor, and is active in her church.
Brigitte Rawlings
Bookkeeper
About:
Brigitte started her accounting career in 1988 after finishing her Accounting Associates Degree in at Prince George’s Community College. She worked as a Bookkeeper at a consulting firm, while attending University of Maryland University College.
Over the years, she has been an Accounting Manager, Assistant Controller and Member Services Manager for nonprofit associations in the women’s health and healthcare arena. After getting laid off from a job in 2000 she decided to go to school to be a massage therapist to pursue that as a full-time profession, which she really enjoys. After almost 20 years of being a massage therapist, she realized it was physically taxing on her body and wanted to get back into the accounting field. In 2018 she joined Butler, Lavanceau and Sober as a part-time bookkeeper.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring nature and spending time with family.
Larry Salem, CPA
Sr Staff Accountant
Contact:
LSalem@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299
About:
Larry Salem, CPA has over 40 years of tax and accounting experience. He is a member of the American Institute and Maryland & Pennsylvania Association of CPAs. Mr. Salem earned his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Temple University in 1970. Mr. Salem has been an active CPA licensed in PA since 1989.
Cheryl D. Tait, CPA
Sr Staff Accountant
Contact:
CTait@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 117
About:
Cheryl D. Tait, CPA, has over 29 years of real estate and construction accounting experience with responsibilities including financial statement preparation, tax reporting, and family office management for a high wealth group.
Prior to joining Butler, Lavanceau & Sober, she worked at Chesapeake Realty Partners and Wolpoff & Company. At Wolpoff & Company; the largest local public accounting firm, she worked with closely held real estate entrepreneurs and small business clients in the areas of financial reporting and tax compliance.
She is a member of the American Institute and Maryland Association of CPAs. Ms. Tait earned her a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences from Slippery Rock University. Ms. Tait has been an active CPA licensed in Maryland since 1986. She is an active community volunteer.
Michael Wiley
Sr Staff Accountant
Contact:
MWiley@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 115
About:
Michael Wiley joined our team in January 2016. Michael graduated from Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, MD in 1983. While playing college baseball, Michael earned degrees in both Business Management and Financial Accounting.
Michael comes to us with 30 years of hands-on accounting, business management, and tax experience. While working full time as an Assistant Controller for a multi-franchise new car dealer for 7 ½ years, Michael began his own small accounting and tax firm in 1989. After moving on from the auto dealership to a consulting firm where he held the position of Assistant Controller for 11 ½ years, he then decided to put all of his focus into the small accounting and tax firm he began in 1989. While taking the hands-on experience he learned in both the auto dealership and within the consulting firm, he has worked hard to provide the kind of hands-on accounting, business management, and tax planning and tax preparation services that the small business of today needs.
Michael specializes in working with independent contractors and small businesses as he truly feels the knowledge he has gained in the field can provide them the benefits they seek when hiring not just an accountant, but the firm they represent. The industry’s he has worked mostly include automotive (body shops, repairs shops, service stations, and new/used car dealerships), construction (all trades both commercial and residential – small to mid-size), consulting firms, home builders, land development firms, real estate agents and real estate agencies, real estate investment firms, retail stores, and restaurants. We feel strongly that this experience will be a strong asset to our firm and our clients.
Michael currently lives in Shady Side, MD. He is the father of Jenna, Steven, and CJ. Though his children are now older, Michael still remains active with them while getting beat on the bowling lanes by his daughter Jenna, playing in a flag football league with both of his son’s, attending CJ’s college baseball games, playing baseball himself in the Chesapeake Men’s Baseball League and coaching sports within his community. And when time is available, he enjoys time at the driving range and on the golf course.
Administrative Staff
Chrissy Cassino
Office Manager
Contact:
CCassino@BLScpafirm.com
410-997-9299 Ext 110
About:
Chrissy graduated from a magnet science program at Sparrows Point High School in 2002. She joined our firm in April, 2005 as our office manager.
Chrissy handles the day to day operations of our office. She runs the front desk which includes scheduling client meetings along with scanning and mailing all tax returns and financial statements. She answers the phones and greets our clients when they arrive at our office.
Chrissy enjoys spending time with her husband, Vince, their son Carter and Vince’s three older children. Together they live in Halethorpe, MD.
Mary Zentner
Admin Assistant
About:
Mary joined Butler, Lavanceau and Sober, LLC in December of 2016. She assists the office manager with daily operations primarily by scanning and mailing tax returns.
Mary currently lives in Carroll County Maryland with her husband, Matt, and their daughters, Sarah and Abigail.